The City of Welland, Ontario, Canada, has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for switching all the street lighting in the city to LEDs.

This is a first in the preparation of municipal, provincial or state RFPs or tenders in Canada that calls specifically for LED lighting.

The RFP and tender calls for the replacement of 5903 street lights and an on-hand inventory of 97, making this a 6000-unit project over 3 years. The closing date is Monday July 6. Further details can be found on the City of Welland website.

David Ferguson, manager of the Traffic & Parking Operations for the city, has employed the right questions to ask, as well as determining manufacturer affiliations in the “ENERGY STAR for SSL” and “Lighting Facts” programs, and finding out whether the proposed product has been CALiPER-tested.

It is hoped that initiatives and leadership such as this will broaden the usage of the procurement protocol for municipalities and the private sector. It should also help to drive away inferior product and reduce the possibility of disappointment and even disaster.